The Warning Signal
by lyannaM7
Summary: Apollo has been struggling with an identity crisis since becoming a god again, and also a secret pregnancy and a maniacal demon chasing after him. This demon apparently wants revenge on Zeus for...something. Apollo really has no idea what. He wishes he did. His life and that of an unborn goddess depend on it.
1. Chapter 1

The Warning Signal

Chapter One

They waited until after sunset to start the bonfire.

Adam didn't even blink an eye at Apollo's strange request. Apollo was grateful that Adam hadn't asked any questions.. He wouldn't have been able to explain why he needed to do this. He just knew that he needed to. And that he wanted his friends to be with him.

Once the fire was going, the first thing Apollo threw in was the ID card and wallet Zeus had left him with. Apollo refused to have anything to do with Zeus, after what had happened the last time they saw each other. Apollo had been desperate. Nero had killed Meg in the most brutal way possible - burning at the stake - and forced Apollo to watch. He - Apollo - had had a concussion, a broken leg, and broken ribs and he had been held back by those barbaric Germani, Vince and Gary. Nero had thrown him a cell afterwards to suffer and starve while demigods of the Imperial household came in daily to torment and beat him. Apollo escaped because Nero set his own fortress on fire. Apollo wandered around for weeks. He was alone, terrified, and in pain. Finally, in desperation, he prayed to Zeus to help. It was a mistake.

 _You dare to pray to me for help after what you have done?_ Zeus had thundered. _Because of you, my son Jason is dead, the Cave of Trophonius is destroyed, and Meg McCaffery is dead. You broke your oaths on the River Styx. You have proven time and again that you are unworthy to be a god and unworthy to be called my son. If you ever presume to pray again, you will be struck down._

It felt good to watch the words _Lester Papadopoulos_ burn.

Next, Apollo threw his bow and quiver and the broken Arrow of Dodona into the fire. The arrow had been snapped in half by a demon named Keviasne. Keviasne had lured Apollo to his home with the sound of his flute. He had pretended to be Apollo's friend and then showed his true colors, locking Apollo in his basement and raping and torturing him. Apollo shivered violently at the memories.

 _If only you were Zeus instead._ Keviasne had lamented. _I really wish he could be my pet instead. But, you look like him so I suppose you'll have to do._

Apollo threw his old clothes into the fire next. There was no reason to keep them. They were tattered and torn beyond use. He hesitated to to throw in his combat ukelele. It was bent and broken beyond repair, but Harley had given it to him. (The sweet boy from the Hephaestus cabin.) Apollo had intended to keep it forever, even when he went back to Olympus. He had wanted it to be a reminder of what demigods suffer everyday - a reminder to fair and kind. But he was never going back to Olympus. Zeus had made that abundantly clear. Besides, the ukelele was utterly useless now. Like Apollo's broken, mortal hands, it never make music again. He took a deep breath and tossed it into the fire. (He kept the old rusty nail in his pocket. It had saved him from Keviasne, and Apollo wasn't ready to give it up.)

Apollo leaned on his crutches and stared into the fire, watching everything from his old life burn. He jumped when he felt Adam's hand on his shoulder.

Adam lifted his hand. "Sorry. I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

"Yeah, I'm fine," Apollo said. "I mean, I will be."

Adam didn't look convinced, but he nodded. "Okay. If you say so."

Apollo couldn't help but wish that Adam was father instead of Zeus. Adam had found Apollo, half dead, floating down a river and saved him. He'd brought Apollo back to his home and nursed him back to health. He'd been a better father to Apollo in four months than Zeus had been in over four thousand years.

"Hey, I was wondering, now that I'm on the mend…" Apollo's voice trailed off. He didn't want to ask for too much at once.

Adam raised an eyebrow. "Yeah?"

"Could you start training me? I want to be like you. I mean, I want to do what you do. I want to be a monster hunter, like you are." Apollo pleaded. "Please, Adam. I will work harder than anyone you've ever trained. I won't ever be a burden, I _promise_ -"

"Hold it, kid. First, your leg needs to heal." Adam said, very seriously.

"But -"

"No buts," Adam said. "I can start teaching you the basics, like how to load a gun and make your own fake ID. But nothing too straining until your body can handle it. And once you're healed, I'm not going to go easy on you. Understood?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Good. Now, let's get inside before these mosquitos eat us alive."

Apollo turned away from the fire and hobbled back to the house with Adam. Let what was burned stay dead. Apollo was going to become the best monster in the field. And then, he was going after Nero.


	2. Chapter 2

The Warning Signal

Chapter Two

Caluga, the third member of the Triumvirate, sat inside his private tent in the center of his camp. He was heading north, to join Nero in the war. Caluga was very proud of his recent victory: killing Jason Grace. And, if rumors were to be believed, Apollo was dead now too; burned to death at Nero's hand.

Yes, things were going very well.

He was about to take a sip of his wine when a servant girl burst into his tent.

"My lord!" she gasped. "All your soldiers are dying!"

"What?" Caluga said.

"They're all dying," the girl repeated. "It looks like poison!"

Caluga stood and rushed outside. Sure enough, the demigods of his Imperial House were dropping like flies. They coughed and choked, their armor and weapons smoking, their noses bleeding.

"What? How?" Caluga cried.

As if in answer, there came another sound. The roar of a dragon. It descended from the night sky and unleashed hellfire on his camp. Monsters turned to dust. Demigods were burned alive.

Caluga stood in total shock, watching his army burn. Were the Olympians interfering? No, they couldn't be. The Olympians were known for their laziness. He didn't register that the servant girl had disappeared or that the dragon was no longer anywhere to be seen. All he saw was fire.

* * *

Sabrina watched her handiwork with satisfaction.

"Serves you right. Nobody brings armies into Utah. Not while I'm here," she whispered.

She pocketed her dragon pendant then turned and ran. Behind her, Caluga despaired and the sun rose over the Utah desert.

* * *

A/N: Hey, I know it's been forever, and this chapter is short, but I just have not had the time to work on either of my fanfictions. Life, you know. I've been really stressed out lately.


	3. Chapter 3

The Warning Signal

Chapter Three _Trigger Warning_

Apollo kept his promise. He worked harder than anybody Adam had ever trained. In just under three weeks, Apollo could assemble and load a machine gun blindfolded in a minute and a half (despite being blind in his left eye and missing two fingers on his right hand.) He could pick locks with that rusty nail of his or a needle or a credit card. He wasn't quite at the level where he could hack into security cameras and security systems. Technology seemed to go haywire whenever he tried to use it, but that was slowly going away. There was no reason why he wouldn't master the skill of hacking within a few months. The kid soaked up information like a sponge.

What worried Adam was Apollo's low self-esteem. The fallen god thought he was an idiot. Whenever he would make a mistake, Apollo would mutter to himself, "Fuck, I'm stupid. The stupidest boy." He probably didn't mean for Adam to hear it, but Adam did.

Finally, Adam said, "Stop saying that."

Apollo looked up from the fifteenth ID card he had just messed up on. "What?"

"That you're stupid. You're not stupid, so stop saying it."

"Oh….I - I didn't even realize I was saying it," Apollo stammered. "I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize. Just stop it." Adam said, frowning. He didn't like that Apollo called himself stupid so often he didn't even realize he was saying it anymore.

He set down the gun he was cleaning, walked over to the table, and sat down across from Apollo.

"Let me see that ID card," he said, firmly but gently.

Apollo bit his lip nervously when he gave the card to Adam, as though he expected a reprimand or an insult. Adam studied it for a moment before handing it back to Apollo.

"You should stop making fake IDs," Adam said.

"But I'm still learning. I'm sorry, I know I should be learning faster, but I -" Apollo started, but Adam cut him off.

"I'm saying you need to learn how to be human."

"Human….what?"

"You don't know how to take care of yourself," Adam said. "You can't cook or fix a car. You can barely clean up after yourself. Your penmanship is abismal." Seeing Apollo's crestfallen expression, he quickly added, "That's nothing to be ashamed of. You just need to learn. It's my fault for not thinking about it sooner. I've been teaching you things in the wrong order. I should've started with the basics of life instead of with the basics of monster hunting."

"Basics of life," Apollo echoed.

"Yes," said Adam. "You should be a normal teenager, not just a hunter-in-training. You need to have teenager experiences. About how old -"

"But what about the Triumvirate?" Apollo interrupted. "They're still out there plotting world domination. I can't be a normal teenager when innocent lives are at stake!"

"You can. You will. I have friends who are working against the Triumvirate even as we speak." Adam said.

"You do?"

"Yeah. My brothers and a few friends. We had our eyes on the Triumvirate for awhile, but we didn't make a break-through until I found you. The little purple book you were carrying had a lot of information," Adam explained. "Most of the pages were ruined by water, but we have our ways of restoring perished documents."

"Oh."

Apollo remembered that book. He'd stolen it from Nero right before the fortress burned down. Well, stole wasn't really the right word. It fell out of Nero's pocket one night after he visited Apollo's cell to brag about he -Nero- was going keep Apollo alive just to see Olympus burn. Oddly, Nero didn't seem to notice that the book had fallen. Apollo had grabbed it, clinging to life, to the hope that there might be something written inside that would help him defeat Nero. Apollo thought he had lost it when he jumped off a cliff to escape Keviasne.

"I'm so sorry, Apollo," Adam said, sadly. "I shouldn't have started training you so soon. I should have told you about the book so you didn't worry."

Apollo blushed. "You don't have to apologize. I mean, asked you to."

"I should have said 'no'," Adam said. "You're not ready. You're not old enough."

"I'm over four thousand years old!" Apollo protested.

"Not in human years. How old are you in human years? Fourteen? Fifteen? How old did Zeus tell you you were going to be?" Adam asked.

"I - I don't -" Apollo's voice broke. "He didn't tell me. He didn't tell me anything. I just made up an age. I said I was sixteen."

Adam inhaled deeply through his nose, like he was trying not to lose his temper.

"You'd think the King of Fucking Olympus would have some fucking decency," he muttered, more to himself than Apollo.

"Adam, please," Apollo begged. "Please. Keep training me. I can learn, even with my handicaps. I have to learn. I won't survive long if I don't. I won't be worth anything if I don't."

"Okay, hold it right there." Adam had had it with the I'm-so-worthless-and-stupid speech. He'd heard it nonstop for four and a half months. "You are not worthless, Apollo. And you're not stupid, either. It hurts me when you talk like that."

"Why would it hurt you?"

"Because I love you, Apollo," Adam said. "Why else?"

The idea was so absurd, Apollo might've laughed if he wasn't so shocked.

"Me?" he said. "Why would you love me? I haven't done anything. I'm not good at anything. Why would I be worthy of your love?"

Ah, there it was. The root of the problem. When Adam had first rescued Apollo, Apollo was nearly dead. With all the injuries he had, it was a miracle the boy was still alive. Adam spent countless nights sitting next to Apollo's bed to make sure he was still breathing. When Apollo woke up, he was so scared of being touched, so horrified at the thought of physical contact, Adam knew without having to be told the boy had been raped. He also had to call his friend, Sabrina, to come and knock Apollo out with sleeping herbs so he (Adam) could continue to treat Apollo's wounds. It took weeks to convince Apollo that he wasn't going to be killed. And weeks more to convince him to go outside.

Looking at him now, the monster hunter could finally understand why Apollo's life had turned out the way it did.

"Listen to me, Apollo," Adam said, his voice cracking, "and pay close attention because this is very important. Love is unconditional. It's not something you can earn. It's not something you can prove yourself worthy of."

The former sun god was speechless. Nobody had ever spoken to him like this before. Nobody (with the exception of his mother) had ever l _ooked_ at him like this before.

Adam continued, "Whatever relationship you had with your father, that wasn't love. I know just from what you've told me that your father was abusive. You were abused and neglected. And that was so wrong. However horrible you think you are, you're not. You're not stupid or worthless or cowardly."

"Then why doesn't my father love me?" Apollo broke down. He sobbed so hard he doubled over. "W-what d-hid I do? What d-d-did I not do? Why does he l-l-love my sister, but not me? Why did he let that - that _thing_ rape me? Why did nobody want to help me?"

Adam pulled him into a bear hug, and this time, Apollo didn't flinch away.

"I c-can still _feel_ it." Apollo shook in Adam's arms. "I still feel what It did. N-no matter what I do, no m-matter how l-l-long I stay in the bath, no matter how h-hard I scrub my skin. I _still_ feel Its hands on my body. I c-c-c-close m-m-my eyes and I see It there. Why? W-why did nobody help me? All d-day I was in that cellar alone, but every night It c-came for m-m-me. I know I'm n-not the easiest person to g-g-get along with, but nobody? N-not a single p-p-person loved me enough to save me? If n-nobod-d-dy on Olympus l-loves me, _it has to be my fault._ "

"It's not your fault," Adam said, firmly.

"It is my fault!" Apollo sobbed even harder. "I deserved it! I b-b-b-broke a sacred oath. I let M-m-meg die. Oh Meg!"

"It's not your fault, Apollo," Adam held him tighter. "And you did not deserve what happened to you."

"But-"

"No." Adam stepped back so he could look Apollo in his eye. He firmly but gently gripped the young boy's shoulders. "You are not to blame. None of this is your fault. Your father was abusive. He neglected you. The man - or demon, or whatever he was - who raped you was evil. It happened because no one protected you. Your family should have protected you. They had the power to - they're gods for crying out loud- and they didn't. You did not deserve it. It was not your fault."

"But why don't they love me, Adam?" Apollo whispered.

"Because they're stupid!" Adam's yelled. Apollo flinched and Adam lowered his voice. "Because they don't know how to recognize a blessing even when he's staring them in the face. I love you, Apollo. I love you like you were my own son. You don't need to prove yourself to me. I love you just the way you are. You are a blessing, you know."

Apollo took a second to absorb that new information. "Really?"

"Yeah. I'm here for you. And I will never abandon you. I promise."

Apollo started to cry again and put his forehead on Adam's chest. Adam hugged him tightly, watching the sun set over the mountains.

* * *

Jason woke up in a cemetery. He sat up and looked around, completely baffled, because remembered dying. He was in Elysium only a few second ago. What had happened? Was Piper okay? Apollo? Meg? Why was he back? Who brought him back?

"Hey, kid."

Jason looked up and saw a man with black hair glowering down at him. There was a pistol in a holster strapped to his side and he was wearing black leather boots.

Jason blinked. "Did….did you bring me back?"

"No. My friend, Sabrina, brought you back. What's your name, kid?"

"Jason."

"My name is Ben Hawethad. If you don't want to become monster-chow, you better come with me."

* * *

A/N: Gods, this was an emotionally draining chapter to write. So, what do think of the story so far? To the people who came here from 'Apollo', what do you think of the changes to the story? And I don't know about you all, but Jason's death at the end of ToA 'Burning Maze' did not sit well with me. I really would have prefered it if Piper died. Or Meg. Or even Leo or Percy. Anybody but my boy, Jason.


	4. Chapter 4

The Warning Signal

A/N: Okay, here's the thing. I have hit a HUGE writer's block with this story. I have tried to write the next chapter so many times, and have not been able to make it work. So, I am going to work on other projects until this block goes away. Hopefully, I'll be inspired by something soon, so you guys won't have to wait for forever. Sorry, for the hiatus.


	5. Back from hiatus

The Warning Signal

A/N: Hey, everybody, I'm back! I re-edited this story and overcame my writer's block. So you don't get confused, let me say this: from this chapter onward, it will be the new version of 'The Warning Signal'.

A/N #2: A special thank you to JustMyOpinion74. You are totally amazing. They gave me really good advice, and a plot point in this new version was their idea. JustMyOpinion74 is a big reason why I'm off hiatus. So thank you. You are wonderful.

Chapter One

Zeus paced back and forth. Apollo had been missing for two and a half months. There was no way the boy could just disappear into thin air. He was a prisoner in Nero's fortress, it burned down, he escaped… then he was gone. Wiped completely off the map. Apollo wasn't dead. Zeus could sense that much.

Zeus stopped pacing and sat down on his throne. He scoured the earth with his eyes again, hoping… no. nothing. Apollo was nowhere to be found.

* * *

They waited until after sunset to start the bonfire.

Adam didn't even blink an eye at Apollo's strange request. Apollo was grateful that Adam hadn't asked any questions.. He wouldn't have been able to explain why he needed to do this. He just knew that he did. And that he wanted his friends to be with him.

Once the fire was going, the first thing Apollo threw in was the ID card and wallet Zeus had left him with. Apollo had been desperate. Nero had killed Meg in the most brutal way possible - burning at the stake - and forced Apollo to watch. He - Apollo - had had a concussion, a broken leg, and broken ribs and he had been held back by those barbaric Germani, Vince and Gary. Nero had thrown him a cell afterwards to suffer and starve while demigods of the Imperial household came in daily to torment and beat him. Apollo escaped because Nero set his own fortress on fire.

Apollo wandered around for three days. He was alone, terrified, and in pain. Finally, in desperation, he prayed to Zeus to help. It was a mistake because there was no answer.

It felt good to watch the words Lester Papadopoulos burn.

Next, Apollo threw his bow and quiver and the broken Arrow of Dodona into the fire. The arrow had been snapped in half by a demon named Keviasne. Keviasne had lured Apollo to his home with the sound of his flute. He had pretended to be Apollo's friend and then showed his true colors, locking Apollo in his basement and raping and torturing him. Apollo shivered violently at the memories.

 _If only you were Zeus instead._ Keviasne had lamented. _I really wish he could be my pet instead. But, you look like him so I suppose you'll have to do_.

Apollo threw his old clothes into the fire next. There was no reason to keep them. They were tattered and torn beyond use. He hesitated to to throw in his combat ukelele. It was bent and broken beyond repair, but Harley (the sweet boy from the Hephaestus cabin) had given it to him. Apollo had intended to keep it forever, even when he went back to Olympus. He had wanted it to be a reminder of what demigods suffer everyday - a reminder to fair and kind. But he was never going back to Olympus. Zeus had made that abundantly clear. Besides, the ukelele was utterly useless now. Like Apollo's broken, mortal hands, it would never make music again. He took a deep breath and tossed it into the fire. (He kept the old rusty nail in his pocket. It had saved him from Keviasne, and Apollo wasn't ready to give it up.)

Apollo leaned on his crutches and stared into the fire, watching everything from his old life burn. He jumped when he felt Adam's hand on his shoulder.

Adam lifted his hand. "Sorry. I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

"Yeah, I'm fine," Apollo said. "I mean, I will be."

Adam didn't look convinced, but he nodded. "Okay. If you say so."

Apollo couldn't help but wish that Adam was father instead of Zeus. Adam had found Apollo, half dead, floating down a river and saved him. He'd brought Apollo back to his home and nursed him back to health. He'd been a better father to Apollo in two months than Zeus had been in over four thousand years.

"Hey, I was wondering, now that I'm on the mend…" Apollo's voice trailed off. He didn't want to ask for too much at once.

Adam raised an eyebrow. "Yeah?"

"Could you start training me? I want to be like you. I mean, I want to do what you do. I want to be a monster hunter, like you are." Apollo pleaded. "Please, Adam. I will work harder than anyone you've ever trained. I won't ever be a burden, I promise -"

"Hold it, kid. First, your leg needs to heal." Adam said, very seriously.

"But -"

"No buts," Adam said. "I can start teaching you the basics, like how to load a gun and make your own fake ID. But nothing too straining until your body can handle it. And once you're healed, I'm not going to go easy on you. Understood?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Good. Now, let's get inside before these mosquitos eat us alive."

Apollo turned away from the fire and hobbled back to the house with Adam. Let what was burned stay dead. Apollo was going to become the best monster in the field. And then, he was going after Nero.


End file.
